A FATHER who almost lost his sight after being battered senseless has condemned British "joke justice" after his attacker was let off with just a £400 fine – for "insulting" him.

David Tait was left fighting for his life after being attacked [CAVENDISH]

David Tait was left for dead in an ASDA car park after being beaten up by a young man who it had been claimed had earlier taunted his teenage daughter.

However in a shock move, prosecutors agreed to drop a GBH charge against attacker Andrew Copland if he accepted a fine for merely using 'insulting words or behaviour' towards Mr Tait.

Today the outraged 42-year-old victim lambasted the decision, saying: "If this is British justice then it is a joke.

"The horrific injuries I suffered left me looking unrecognisable and doctors told me I was very close to losing sight in one of my eyes.

"The police had CCTV of the incident too which clearly shows him knocking me to the ground.

"The doctors said if I had taken two more punches I wouldn't be here today.

"How can anyone conclude that what happened to me is insulting behaviour?"

Mr Tait, from Shipley, West Yorkshire, suffered a fractured cheek, broken nose and had to have a metal plate inserted under his right eye socket following the attack in November last year.

Mr Tait almost lost his sight after the savage beating [CAVENDISH]

The horrific injuries I suffered left me looking unrecognisable and doctors told me I was very close to losing sight in one of my eyes

David Tait

He had gone to the aid of his daughter Faye, 16, who claimed to have been verbally abused by Copland, 20, during a visit with friends to the German market in Leeds.

Mr Tait explained: "My daughter was really really upset.

"She said Copland and come up to her and said things like 'you are a slag, 'your mum is a fat bitch' and all kinds of horrible things."

Mr Tait later had a string of phone conversations with Copland – a near neighbour - resulting in the confrontation in the car park.

CCTV showed the two men facing each other before Mr Tait was knocked to the ground and beaten, ending with Copland and a friend running off.

Mr Tait who still suffers from tingling numbness on the right side of his face and experiences double vision said: "I just remember he came for me and I went to block him in self defence.

"Then I remember him pummelling my face, punch after punch - it was unrelenting.

"The next thing I knew was waking up in hospital.

"We were ready to claim justice for what had happened.

"Not only was my daughter and wife traumatised after seeing me like that but I am still suffering.”

Mr Tait, a supermarket worker, claims that Copland laughed at him after the minuscule conviction.

"I asked him if it was funny that I was two punches away from death and he got a £400 fine.

Mr Tait said that Andrew Copland insulted his daughter [CAVENDISH]

"He just replied 'I am laughing aren't I?'"

Copland was charged with causing grievous bodily harm and warned that, if convicted, he could face five years in prison.

However ahead of the trial at Bradford Crown Court, he was offered a secret plea bargain where prosecutors said he could admit to a watered down offence of "using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour" towards the victim.

Although that offence can see an offender jailed for up to six months, Copland was fined just £400 in a move Mr Tait only became aware of when he received a letter in the post from the Crown Prosecution Service.

The letter stated: "The public order charge better reflects the evidence in the case.

"CCTV footage does not show who struck the first blow or how many blows were struck.

"I know that you may be disappointed with the decision - the courts have an even higher standard of proof that the test I have applied."

The letter also claimed that an "independent witness" gave a statement which supported Mr Copland's version of events.

Mr Tait criticised the fact he was not made aware of the change of charge by the CPS, adding: "It just seems the CPS just wanted a conviction and it does not matter what they get. It is just about ticking boxes."

Today the CPS stood by the decision, saying: "We have written to the victim to explain the reason behind the decision made in this case, and a Senior Crown Prosecutor has also spoken with Mr Tait.

"We are more than happy to discuss the matter further with Mr Tait if this would be of assistance".